Controlling means for sectional sliding doors.



Q7610 4/ I- I I j I H. G. VOIGHT. CONTROLLING MEANS FOR SEGTIONAL SLIDING DOORS.

APPLICATION FILED 001'. 2B, 1912. 1,069,074.

Patented July 29, 1913.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CONTROLLING MEANS FOR SECTIONAL SLIDING DOORS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 29, 1913.

Application filed October 26, 1912. Serial No. 727,843.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, I'IENRY G. Vorcnr, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Britain, Hartford county, State of Connecticut, have inventedzcertain new and useful Improvements in Controlling Means for Sectional Sliding Doors, of whlch the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to controlling and locking means for doors employing a plurality of complemental sections sliding .in the same direction but atrelatively different speeds so that all sections will reach door opened position substantially simultaneously.

The invention contemplates the use of a power mechanism for moving these door sections to closed position, and a manually controlled mechanismfor moving them to opened position, these two mechanisms cooperating with a series of alined door-section connected links to effect this result. These link connections and their mannerof cooperation with the mechanisms hereinbefore referred to, will be described in detail in the following specification, and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming part thereof and illustrating a preferable enibodiment of the invention.

In these drawings, Figure 1 is a view in elevation of a sectional sliding door of an elevator well with the device of the present invention applied :thereto, the view being taken from the inner or car side of the elevator well and the door sections being in rearwardly thereof, these sections overlap-- ping slightly as usual.

A bracket plate 5 is secured to the wall 2 which forms a stationary abutment, andis provided with a fixed arm 6 extending transversely therefrom, to which is pivotally secured a piston rod 7 of a power cylinder 8,

this cylinder being of a type wherein the power is applied against the piston therein to force said cylinder itself upwardly toward the arm 6. At its lower end the cylinder 8 is provided with a fixed arm 9 extending therefrom.

10, 11 and 12 designate respectively a series of three link members pivotally connected together at their adjacent ends, the end link 12 being pivotally connected at its end 13 to the bracket plate 5 and pivotally connected intermediate its ends at 14 to the end of the arm 9 of the power cylinder. A door plate 15 is fixedly secured to the forward edge of the forward door section 3, and the forward end of the link member 10 is pivotally connected to this plate at 19, thereby securing this forward link member to the forward sliding door section. The intermediate link member 11 is pivotally secured at a point intermediate its ends, as at 16, to a block 17 fixedly carried by the rear sliding door sectionv 4. These link members, when the door sections are moved to closed position, are straightened out in horizontal alinement so that they are on a dead center and are, therefore, locked against door opening movement. The power in the closer cylinder 8 acting through arm 9 normally tends to move these links in a direction to move the door sections to closed position, as illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings. In order to open the door, the dead center lock of these horizontally alined link members must be first broken by moving said links out of horizontal alinement. In order to efi'ectthis result, I employ the following mechanism: Pivotally mounted at its end at 20 to the door plate 15 is an operating handle 21 lying in a plane overstanding the end link member 10. An arm 22 is pivotally mounted on this door plate 1 5 at 18 at a point below the pivot pin 20 and is provided with a curved slot 23 therein through which a pin 24 carried by the link 10 extends, this curved slot 23, by reason of its curvature, serving as a cam face. The arm 22 is also provided with a second curved slot 25 formed on an arc with the pivot point 18 as the center. A stud 26 is carried by the operating handle 21 and guides within this curved slot 25. An abutment stud 27 is formed on the door plate 15 adjacent its lower edge and lies in the path of movement of the operating handle 21.

Assuming that'the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the operator, to open the door, moves the handle 21 toward the right, this movementof the handle through' its pin 26 swinging the arm 22 on its pivot so that the curved cam slot 23 will lie over the link stud 24 and swing the link 10 upwardly to in turn swing the 7 breakthe dead center lock of the connected link members, and to start the door sections on their opening movement it will abut againstthe abutment stud 27 so that a fur- I ther pull on said handle in the same direction will continue to move the forward door section rearwardly and through the link members 10, 11 and 12, move both door'sections rearwardly to the position shown in Fig. 2 and against the power in cylinder 8, the forward door section 3 moving rearwardly at a greater speed than the rearward section 4 owing to the difference of the lever components of the link members secured to. said door sections, these components being so figured that the two door sections will reach door opened position substantially simultaneously. When it is desired to close the,

' door, the operator merely releases the .op-

crating handle 21, whereupon the power of the closer cylinder 8 acting through its arm 9' will move the link connections in a direction to move the door sections to closed position.

- I have illustrated and described herein only one rear door section, but it is obvious that the number of rear door sections and their connections may be increased should the case require it.

While I have described herein a specific embodiment of my invention,I desire it understood that various structural changes are possible within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim, therefore, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

- 1. In a device of the character described, a plurality of'complement'al door sections sliding in the same direction, a relatively stationary abutment, a series of link members pivotally interconnected at their adjacent ends, the end links of the series bein pivotally connected at their free ends to sai abutment and the forward door section respectively, and an intermediate link being ivotally connected at-a point intermediate its ends to a rear door section, and manually controlled means for moving said link connections in a direction to move said door sections to opened position.

I 2. In a device of the character described, a plurality of complemental door sections sliding in the same direction, a relatively stationary abutment, a series of link members pivotally interconnectedat their adjacent ends, the end links of the series being pivotally connected at their free ends to said abutment and the forward door sectionrespectively, and an intermediatelink being and normally tending its ends toa rear door section, said linLJ,

when the door sections are in closed position, being straightened out in horizontal alinement to lock themselves against door opening movement, and manually controlled means for moving said link members from looking position and for moving said door sections to opened osition.

3. In a device 0 the character a plurality of complemental door sections sliding in the same direction, a relatively stationary abutment, a series of link members pivotally -interc'ormected at their adjacent ends, the end links of-the series bein pivotally connected at their free ends to sai abutment and the forward door section respectively, an intermediate link bein pivotally connected at a point intermediate its ends to a rear door section, manually con-' trolled means for moving said link connections in a direction to move said door sections to opened position, and closing mechanism in operative connection with said link members and normally tending to move the same in a direction to move said door sections to closed position.

4. In a device of the character described,

jpivotally connected at their free ends to said abutment and the forward door section respectively, an intermediate link being pivotall connected at a point intermediate its en s to a rear door section, said links, when the door sections are in closed position, be-

described,

ing strightened out in horizontal alinement -to lock themselves against door opening movement, manually controlled means for moving said link members from looking position and for actuatin said members to simultaneously move sa1d door sections to opened position, and closin mechanism in operative connection with sa1d link members to move the same in a direction to move sai door sections to closed position. 4

5. In' a device of the character described, a plurality of complemental door sections sliding in the same direction, a relatively stationary abutment, a series of link members pivotally interconnected at their adjacent ends, the end links of the seriesbeing pivotally connected at their free ends to said abutment and the forward door section re-' spectively, said links, when the door sections are-in closed position, being straightened out in horizontal. alinement to lock themselves against door openin movement, and an intermediate link mem er being pivbtally con-v nected at a point intermediate its ends to a rear (door section, an operating handle seing a limited; free movement relatively thereto, means controlled thereby whereby a preliminary free movement of said handle serves to move said links from alined horizontal locking position and whereby a continued pull on said handle in the same direction serves to move said links in a direction to move said door sections to opened position, and closing mechanism in operative connection with said link members and normally tending to move the same in a direc tion to move said door sections to closed position.

6. In a device of the character described, two complemental door sections sliding in the same direction, a relatively stationary abutment, a link pivotally connected at one end to said abutment, a second link pivotally connected at one end to the forward door section, a third link pivotally connected at its ends to the free ends of said first and second links and pivotally connected at a point intermediate its ends to the rear door section, said links, when said door sections are in closed position, being straightened out in horizontal aline'ment to lock themselves against door opening movement, closing mechanism operatively connected to a link member to move said link members in a direction to move said door sections to closed position, and manuallyv controlled means for moving said link members from locking po- I second links and 'pivotally connected at a point intermediateits ends to the rear door section, said links, when said door sections are'in closed position, being straightened out in horizontal alinementto lock themselves against door opening movement, closing mechanism operatively connected to a link member to move said link members in a direction to move said door sections to closed position, an operating handle secured to the forward .door section and having a limited free movement relative thereto, means controlled thereby whereby a continued pull on said handle in the same direction serves to move said links from alined horizontal looking position and to move said door sections to opened position.

HENRY G. VOIGHT. Witnesses GWENDOL NE A. JAoKsoN, EDWARD B. ALLING. 

